In a Spanish-language interview Sunday with the network Univision, Sen. Marco Rubio, the leading Republican on the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform group, made his strongest statement yet that legalization of the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants must happen before any new border security or internal enforcement measures are in place, and will in no way be conditional on any security requirements.

“Let’s be clear,” Rubio said. “Nobody is talking about preventing the legalization. The legalization is going to happen. That means the following will happen: First comes the legalization. Then come the measures to secure the border. And then comes the process of permanent residence.”

Typical Washington, typical politician. They concoct elaborate ways to do nothing. And garner votes in the process. That is all they care about.

Rubio had so much potential. But he can eat a bag of dicks if his idea is to legalize 11 million law breakers and Do NOT ONE DAMN THING to stop the next wave of 5 million illegal Mexicans who will swarm the border as soon as they can get to it to suck at the new fresh tit of US taxpayers.

Yeah, sure his numbers climbed when he attacked Obama as too liberal. But not enough. More people saw it as BS. How can you attack a guy on mandatory health care when you are the 1 guy in the entire country who also enacted mandatory health care?

He was a complete mess as a candidate--he was a liberal conservative (by his record) that had to act ultra conservative, and in the process turned off everyone. His competition in the primaries were a group of complete nutjobs and/or scumbags and he looked like the only sane guy in the room.

He had to sell his soul to unpopular positions in order to beat Santorum. The necessity to pander to the religious right is going to destroy the party for years to come.

Which is why I view a true progressive as a guy who's not afraid to move against the party when necessary. But it's also why a true progressive will never win elections. Bush was not a progressive. He pandered to the party line, which just happened to have a neocon slant at the time.

I think Christie, Pawlenty (before being neutered), and to a small extent Rubio represent the next gen of Republicans that realize that stonewalling the opposition is no way to get things done. Didn't work for Bush. Didn't work for Obama. I'll reserve my opinion on whether they are truly progressive or selling out based on what platform they campaign on.

For a party that loves the private sector, as I do too, it's amazing how many people think the right approach to politics is to pout by the wall with your arms crossed. Real business gets done by leaders who know how to work across the aisle.

People who can't see that illegal immigration is and has been a problem with many heads shouldn't just write off the concerns of others as a phobia...but that's what libs do...try to categorize those with different thoughts as dysfunctional...cowardly really.

It's not xenophobic to have a grudge against people who sneak their way into the country while others wait in line, pay no taxes outside of payroll but still consume all the things taxpayers pay for including schools, police, parks, fire departments, etc...., jack up crime rates, jack up insurance premiums because they have no insurance.

I don't have xenophobia. I welcome any immigrant that pays their dues to be in this country. The right way.